


embers 2: banished pain

by lanaboke



Category: Minecraft (Video Game)
Genre: Character Death, Child Neglect, Explicit Language, F/M, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Manipulation, Past Abuse, Past Child Abuse, Suicide, Violence, War
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-19
Updated: 2021-03-19
Packaged: 2021-03-27 23:14:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 17,727
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30130356
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lanaboke/pseuds/lanaboke
Summary: it’s been six years since the war between l’manburg and pogtopia, and as everything seems to be fine, soon enough another war crepts the horizon as the new king’s grandmother comes to take back the throne, years after her banishment.
Relationships: Dream SMP Ensemble & Original Character(s)
Comments: 1
Kudos: 3





	1. Six Years Later

**Author's Note:**

> welcome back to embers, but now its the sequel! i hope you all will enjoy this!!
> 
> \- some use of real names  
> includes:  
> suicide, mentions of abuse/neglect, explicit language, etc.

**song ;** _let it all out (10:05) - coin_

The world was beginning to darken that evening as the hours continued to pass with no intention in stopping. The wind gently blew through the forest, its gentle breeze rustling the leaves. The squirrels climb trees as foxes dig into their burrows. Birds chirped, wolves hunted. A normal day, like the previous days before.

The sun was bright, warming the Earth as everyone lived in harmony and grace, though with some unfortunate events along the way as nothing could really go perfectly, because that’s life, but it was tolerable as the days were good nonetheless. 

By the lake, there the Pogtopia general sat with her long hair in a loose ponytail. Her sword sat beside her as she bit out of an apple, relaxing on her own that Sunday morning. 

It was Alanna, widow of the retired (and deceased) Pogtopia General, J. Schlatt, who had become the new Pogtopia general after the death of BBH (who was the replacement general after Schlatt’s death) during the war. She had taken the position a few months after BBH’s death, wanting to honor him and not replace him so quickly. Plus, she had to process what position she was about to become. The job her deceased husband had before he retired due to his injury, only to be murdered a month after he filed for retirement.

She found it amusing, thinking about how Schlatt would feel about how she went to war for him, to avenge his death, causing the death of his murderer, even if she lost friends and companions on the way. 

Alanna sat on the grass near the sandy lake. Her legs laid out forward as she faced the blue water that was shiny from the sun’s reflection. Fish swam through and frogs croaked occasionally. By now, she had learned how to easily control her White Wither powers, meaning she could easily make her skin turn white or make her wings appear in just seconds. Her dark brown hair had grown much longer than it was six years ago, when the war between L’Manburg and Pogtopia started and soon finished, even though hundreds died.

She was glad of what she accomplished, even though it caused the death of so many people. Some of which she cared so dearly about. Erin, BBH, George, and the rest of them. She could care less about King Dream and his death, even if George did die with him, but she could never forgive him for killing her deceased husband, Schlatt. 

It had been more than six years since the L’Manburg and Pogtopia war, and yet, Alanna, now thirty-two years old (though, she was turning thirty-three at the end of the month), and still looked good for her age, even if she’s had four kids by now. 

The timeline of her children was simple. She was fifteen when she gave birth to Tubbo on December 23rd, sixteen when she had Karl on July 19th (which means she was twenty-four when Schlatt died, who was twenty-five), twenty-four when she had Camille on September 14th, and thirty-one when she had her youngest, Mala, on July 28th, whose father was Alanna’s current lover, Sapnap. 

Sapnap was formerly the Pogtopia’s King’s right hand man (before the new right hand man became of age so Sapnap was then replaced), though he still had his role as the Leader of the Royal Guard. Now, he had light facial hair and had grown slightly taller, though more muscular as he took two years of extra training in order to protect his new family with Alanna, even though they weren’t officially married yet.

Sapnap had a feeling Alanna would fret about getting married, knowing what happened to her last husband and the aftermath. Alanna went through a lot, was a single mom to two children for more than three years with barely any help. But Sapnap loved Alanna more than anything, he wanted to become her husband and stay with her until the end of time. But, he had a feeling she wasn’t over Schlatt, that she hasn’t moved past him yet. Now, Sapnap and Alanna have been together for six years, but that’s not as long as Schlatt and her were together. They were together for nine years, and had three children together (though one was taken away).

That child, Tubbo - he was now an adult at the ripe age of nineteen. He was still the Prince of L’Manburg, which was still being ruled by King Techno (who was now forty-six), though Tubbo would still go out of his way to visit his mother in Pogtopia. Though, Alanna would still visit Tubbo sometimes in times that Tubbo couldn’t leave the Kingdom and visit her.

In Pogtopia, things were different, but in a good way. Alanna and Sapnap, their family, Jade, Kara, and the others - they all lived in the castle as the new King wanted to keep everyone together. They had been through hell together, fought in a war, lost loved ones, but still made it through to the end and lived through the days. 

Jade had gotten married to Purpled, who she dated and loved for three years before tying the knot, but then after the wedding, Purpled went to rehab for his alcoholism. For the first three years of the six years since the war, Purpled drank constantly. He drank his sorrows away, trying to forget the passing of his best friend, BBH, whose son was, and still is, under Purpled’s care, but was cared for by Jade as Purpled is in rehab for a few months. Fundy, BBH’s son, is now sixteen years old, just a year younger than Karl. Fundy was the one who convinced Purpled to go to rehab in the first place.

For Chrisa and Ranboo, the two got married about a year ago. But, after the death of her best friends, it took a long time for Chrisa to move on (she finally moved on about a year and a half ago). She mourned the losses of Tommy and Erin greatly, and she stayed with Tommy’s father, Philza, for a couple months in order to cope and move on past their deaths. But, it didn’t seem to work as one day, she had a huge breakdown and trashed Philza’s entire house, but Niki came by and helped ease her, putting her into a sleep, as she had a breakdown because of a huge lack of sleep, where she slept for almost 83 hours straight.

Ranboo didn’t leave her side once.

Alyssa reunited with her former husband, King Techno, but only stayed mutual with him. Afterwards, Alyssa returned to Pogtopia, but as the next morning crept, her clothes were gone, her furniture was missing, her house was empty, and she was nowhere to be found. Some believed she just wanted to start anew in another Kingdom, another village, but others believed it had something to do with her recent encounter with her former husband.

For Niki and Eret, the two earned higher roles in the L’Manburg Kingdom. Same goes for Sam in the Pogtopia Kingdom.

Philza, however, has yet to grow used to being alone in his home. One son of his lived at the castle as a prince, another was supposedly dead, and the other was buried six feet underground.

It took hours for Philza to finally find his son’s body in the river. He searched the entire canyon’s bay, he didn’t find any trace of his son until after a few hours worth of searching, Philza came across pieces of ripped clothing. A white and red cotton shirt. 

Less than twenty minutes passed, and there he found his son. It was past the canyon’s end, where the river ran into a lake - the same lake where Alanna sat near now - and his body, it laid on the shore, his legs and half of his torso was soaking in the water, his head on the sand. His bright blue eyes were wide open, turning into a pale white as the hours went by. His skin was whiter than snow, water dripped from his agape lips, down his cheek and onto his neck. 

His shirt was torn, it was barely even a shirt anymore. His pants were raggedy and had plenty of rips and missing pieces, but it still seemed intact enough. His hair was messy and damp from the river. He seemed to have floated down the river and washed up onto the shore.

It made Philza want to vomit, but he had to take him home. Maybe four hours passed and Philza arrived, carrying Tommy on his back. He set him down, and took a little break, mentally preparing himself to bury his son. Right next to his house, in the garden, is where he buried Tommy, six feet underground. A week passed and the garden had grown, the grass where he was buried had now daisies and irises blooming through the soil.

Philza had gotten Purpled to make a tombstone for Tommy, since Purpled was a blacksmith, and once it was finished, Philza brought it home and placed it on Tommy’s grave. 

There was no funeral as Philza chose not to have one for his son, even if he was never really his biological son. He was King Dream’s son, the boy Queen Jorja took away and gave to L’Manburg in hope to save him from his real father’s reign, but it was too bad that they had another son, and that Philza ended up losing Tommy - to his other son, to Tommy’s own brother.

That brother - Philza hadn’t heard from him since the day the two fought six years ago. He cut off his own son’s arm, Philza remembered the screaming, the blood all over the floor. 

He wonders where he ended up to be, but he had told everyone else that his other son was dead, like Tommy, even if that might not be actually true. As for Tubbo, he was still healthy and alive, living at the castle, and he would always come by to see his adoptive father almost daily. Philza was proud, though he wasn’t sure that he had grown past the deaths of his sons.

“You sure like this lake, eh?”

Alanna turns her head, seeing as her lover approaches her. She smiled, “I do,” she said before she turned back to face the lake in front of her, “don’t you?”

Sapnap sits next to her on the glass, grunting. He gets situated, “Yeah,” he looks over to Alanna again, “have you planned anything for the ball?”

The Pogtopia Ball. A traditional ball that only happens every ten years where the citizens of Pogtopia will dress in their finest clothes and dance, drink and talk, and even fall in love. This year it was different, as L’Manburg and its citizens will be attending as well. The ball takes place on the third Sunday of June, which just happens to be Alanna’s birthday. 

Alanna was in charge of planning it all out, from the food to the decorations, the music and the performers. The King had requested her to do all this, as he knew she was good at planning things out just perfectly. 

“Some,” said Alanna, “I just need to figure out what I’m going to do for the theme,”

Sapnap raised his eyebrow, “Wouldn’t you have to figure that out first?”

Alanna nods, “Sure, yeah, but I mainly just finished getting caterers and performers, not anything else that requires the theme just yet.” She explains, “I’m thinking of doing more of an elegant ball, one that’s fancy and formal, with ethereal jewelry and huge dresses.”

“Really?” Sapnap scoffed, “You mean I’ll see you wearing a dress that you’ll probably burn to ash immediately after the ball?” Alanna hated wearing dresses. The only time she had ever worn a dress wasn’t even at her own wedding, but instead it was to Schlatt’s funeral.

“Who said I was going to wear a dress?” she laughed, “I’m going to wear my general attire,” said Alanna, “It’s fancy,”

“It’s an elegant ball, Lana-”

“So?”

“Meaning you have to wear a dress!”

“I’m not wearing a dress, Sap,” Alanna told her lover, “I don’t like dresses - Hell, I didn’t even wear a dress to my own wedding - I wore a blouse and pants, but I did wear a dress for Schlatt’s funeral, but that’s about the only time I’ve ever worn a dress.”

Sapnap blinked at her, “Why are you anti-dress?” 

Alanna chuckles.

“No, I’m serious. You’re like anti-dress. Your sister, Kara - she wears a dress every day now!” Sapnap tells her, but she just rolls her eyes.

“She’s forced to wear a dress,” said Alanna, “she’s royalty now,” 

Kara had become engaged to Prince Quackity a couple of months before now, they were happy together. Both were now 22 years of age, happy, engaged, and will probably never be ready to have kids yet. Alanna was happy for Kara, very. 

Sapnap sighs, “So you’re really not going to wear a dress?”

Alanna shakes her head, “Nope!” and Sapnap just laughed. 

The two returned to the castle a bit later, hand in hand, walking on their feet as they both know they probably won’t have time later to spend with each other due to their duties. It was a beautiful day, the weather was just right. Everything was right. It was all perfect.

“So,” Sapnap suddenly clears his throat, “Lana, I want to ask you something.”

Alanna looks over to Sapnap. “What is it?” She asks with a smile.

He could feel his skin crawling, his heart racing. His hand slid into his pocket, gripping a small box that sat in his pocket. Sapnap gulped, “Lana,” he took one hand and grabbed her sleeve, stopping in the middle of the trail through the forest that led to the South Village where the entrance to the entire Kingdom was. Since the war, they had added more houses and buildings, more essential stuff to the Kingdom, like the trail through the forest and the windmills in the fields where there are now farms for crops and livestock.

The woman stares at him, furrowing her eyebrows in confusion. “Is everything alright?”

Sapnap felt chills go down his back, “We’ve known each other for a long time now, w-we’ve been together for a long time now, t-too,” his slight stuttering was normal, but his words confused Alanna even more, “and I know this m-may be a s-surprise, b-but-”

Alanna raised her eyebrows, her mind realizing what he was doing - even if she was wrong - _was he breaking up with me?_

“Nick, what are you sayin-” 

“General Schlatt!”

Right, Alanna’s last name was still Schlatt.

A voice calls out to them from the near distance. Alanna and Sapnap turn and see Purpled approaching as he rode a horse. He hadn’t changed much since the war, except his worsening alcoholism and deep eyebags now. Purpled was fond of Alanna, as she was the best friend of his now wife, Jade, but Alanna hasn't grown a liking for Purpled yet, mainly for his alcoholism. It reminded her of Schlatt a little too much.

“The King needs to see you now,” Purpled informs them, “you can ride back with me,” he reaches his hand down and Alanna turns to Sapnap.

Sapnap sighs, “Go, we’ll talk later.” 

Alanna gives him a short nod before she grabs Purpled’s hand and climbs onto the horse. Sapnap watches closely, squinting his eyes at her. Alanna gives him a short wave before Purpled whips the reins and the horse neighs, beginning to walk as it turns and heads the way Purpled had come from. With a huff, Sapnap takes his hand out of his pocket and begins to follow the trail, but now, he is all alone. Him and his thoughts, but most importantly, his worries.

“General Schlatt,”

The two were almost to the castle, riding along the trail that divided two large fields of crops and livestock, where the war had been fought at. 

“Hm?” Alanna hummed as she sat on the back of her horse, holding onto the saddle as she didn’t feel comfortable enough to hold onto Purpled.

“You mentioned before how Jade wants children of her own, right?” Purpled asks with a gulp. Jade had always wanted children, but it took her years to finally date someone, and when she did, it took her years prior to actually realize her feelings for them. Jade was a shy individual, but she was caring and kind. Purpled loved that about her.

Alanna raised one of her eyebrows, scoffing. 

“I did,” said Alanna, “why?”

Purpled let out an audible sigh. “Jade had grown close to Fundy, she treats him like he’s her own boy,” he pauses for a moment, “I want to give her children, I do, but-”

“You’re worried about your alcoholism.” Alanna spoke for him, knowing exactly what he was going to say. She understood his worry, it was almost exactly how Schlatt felt before when Tubbo was first born, when Schlatt was an alcoholic. “I get it.”

“I just don’t want to hurt her,” Purpled confessed.

“Then don’t,” she spoke firmly. With that, the conversation ended and the rest of the ride was quiet. The two arrived at the castle’s entrance, getting off the horse. Purpled looks over to Alanna, but she patted his shoulder, gesturing that she already knew he was going to say that he was heading to the stables for his horse.

Alanna headed in through the entrance of the castle’s borders. She was greeted by a couple guards, but they all knew her well. She continued up the steps and into the throne room where she was greeted by the King, his right hand man, the King’s future Queen, and a little girl.

The right hand man was no other than Alanna’s second eldest child, Karl, with his dark brown hair hanging in front of his eyes slightly, but his eyes were obvious and clear to see. His horns had grown big and sharp at the end. He had grown tall, or at least taller than his 5’4” mother, but not as tall as his (deceased) 6’3” father. He was seventeen now, after all.

He looked so much like Schlatt that it almost scared Alanna. She worried, maybe, that he could make the same mistakes that Schlatt made all those years ago. But, Karl was a sweet soul. He had an addicting laugh, a charming smile. He was kind, he could never hurt a fly. 

The little girl was Camille, Alanna’s eldest daughter and third eldest child overall. She had little horns, they hadn’t really grown in much yet. She was bossy for a nine year old, but she was funny and very outgoing. She could talk to anyone, more than Karl had ever done growing up. 

The future Queen was no other than Kara, Alanna’s sister. Kara had grown a bit taller than her sister, but it wasn’t more than an inch taller than her. She had grown used to being royal, but she made sure it didn’t change her completely. She was still the witty, cautious girl she always was, but now, she was just the future Queen of Pogtopia.

Originally, the Queen of Pogtopia was Jorja, but unfortunately, she had passed away a year after the war due to complications from cancer. This greatly affected her son, but nothing affected him more than that just after her death, he found out about Tommy, his brother who had died by being pushed off a cliff by his own adoptive brother. This took a huge toll on him, but he was able to recover with the help of his now fiance, Kara.

Which means, the new King of Pogtopia was no other than Kara’s fiance.

Prince Quackity.

Or, well, King Quackity of Pogtopia.

Quackity was now the King of Pogtopia, and as overwhelming as that may sound, he had Kara and the others to help him along the way. It took him a while to get used to having such responsibility and power over a Kingdom, but now, about five years later, he’s grown mostly used to it. He enjoys being King, despite its occasional hardships, and he’s glad he can spend it with the love of his life, Kara.

“Good to see you again,” Quackity greeted Alanna as she walked down the red carpet, heading towards the line of thrones.

Alanna lets out a laugh, “You just saw me this morning at breakfast, you don’t have to use formality on me, Quackity,” she tells the younger boy, and Quackity lets out an awkward laugh while Kara just chuckles under her breath. “Now, what did you need to see me for?”

She sounded a bit impatient, which Kara caught on quickly to.

“Why do you sound tense? Did we interrupt you at a . . . bad time?” She quirked her eyebrow at her sister, implying something rather inappropriate to speak of, especially in front of Camille (though it wasn’t actually said), but Alanna’s jaw drops slightly, surprised.

“No, Sapnap and I were just on our way back from Clay’s Lake,” right, the lake is named after Quackity’s father, yet the mention of his name meant nothing to Quackity. He could care less about him and his death, though those feelings differ when it came to George, even if he did die alongside King Dream in their last moments. “I’m offended you would think I’d do something like that during my hours on parole.” 

Kara lets out a chortle, “Oh, I was just joking,” then she looked over to her fiance before she stood up from her seat, “now, Camille and I have to check on the villages before it gets too dark. We’ll see you later then,” then Camille gets up from her own throne and heads out of the room alongside Kara. 

Quackity turns to Alanna with a smug look. “Have you figured everything out for the ball?” It was the second time someone had asked her that just today, and she was getting a bit tired of it, but she kept her opinions to herself.

“Some,” answered Alanna, “but I figured out the theme so I should be able to plan everything out by tonight,” she told the King, and he gave her a grin.

“Good, good,” said Quackity, nodding. He clears his throat, “Karl, can you step out for just a moment?” Karl turned to him with a confused expression, but he obliged and stood from his throne, heading out of the left exit. 

It took maybe 11 months to rebuild the castle after it burned to the ground. Alanna and Ranboo helped line the bricks and glue them together with this strong clay using their powers. Niki used her magic to build the roofs and hang the long chandeliers. Kara and Jade decorated the rooms with paintings and furniture, though they let Alanna do most of it as she loved decorating. Purpled, Eret, Sam, Skeppy, and the other guys helped build the wooden structures that would keep the castle from falling into itself. Villagers from both Kingdoms helped as well. King Techno helped the then Prince Quackity make blueprints for the new castle as Queen Jorja, at the time, was growing sicker so she stayed in bed, until her death just a week after the castle was finished. 

The castle was built much larger than before, the glue and the wood made it secure, sure that it wouldn’t collapse, even if it caught on fire in the future again. Though, the throne room was the only room that looked identical to the original castle. In honor of King Dream and Sir George. 

Quackity looked back over to Alanna once the door closed. 

“I plan to go to Heaven’s Cavern this evening,” Quackity confessed, “to see my mother and Dream once again.” Alanna’s eyes widened in response. 

Quackity didn’t want the others to know of this decision, he knew it would release hell from Kara and Karl if they were to find out that Quackity was going to see King Dream’s ghost in Heaven’s Cavern. They knew he was going to visit his mother, but he hid the fact he was going to see his father as well from them, knowing how much Karl had grown to hate Quackity’s father - which Quackity, or anyone, could easily tell - knowing that King Dream murdered Schlatt in cold blood, taking Karl’s own father away from his childhood, adding the start of loss in his eighteen years long lifetime.

“I had been putting it off for these last several years, I do admit,” he let out a quick huff, “but I think it’s time to finally bid adieu to my parents.”

Alanna takes a step forward with her right foot, “Do the others know about this?”

The twenty-two year old King shakes his head, “No, they do not - and I don’t want you to tell them either,” he orders the general.

Alanna loosens her shoulders, “Then why are you telling me this?” Quackity silently glanced over to the windows on both sides of the front entrance of the throne room. He thinned his lips gently.

“I want you to come with me,” 

The general lets out a gasp.

“I know you already got closure between you and Schlatt, but I want you to talk to Dream,” Alanna found it rather interesting that Quackity would never refer to King Dream as his father, but instead, only Dream, his last name.

Not his first name, not King, not even ‘the former Pogtopia King.’ It was simply the last name Quackity and he shared: Dream. 

“So,” Quackity said, “will you?”

Sighing, Alanna lowers her head slightly. 

“Don’t expect me to be nice to him,” said Alanna, basically saying she will come with him. With a laugh and a couple claps of his hand, Quackity smiles at Alanna. For a moment, it kind of scared the general, his smile seemed so familiar. 

Alanna left the room and headed to her room on the third floor, but once she entered the room, that’s when her thoughts pieced it all together.

Quackity’s smile. That damn smile of his.

It was just like the smile on the mask that his father wore to hide his true intentions, his true emotions, his true evil.

* * *

**song ;** _bridges - kyle lux_

Evening came too quickly. Alanna fixed her belt, sliding her knife into its holder that was clipped to the belt. Dinner had yet to be served, which meant the two had to be back before dinner was served and everyone would start to worry where they were.

Sapnap sat at the desk in their shared room, writing down the schedule for the soldier training the next day, but he turned and looked at her, noticing that she was no longer sitting on the bed, reading her book, but instead she was dressed in her general attire once again, getting ready to leave. 

“What’re you doing?” Sapnap questions her, “Are you going somewhere?” 

Alanna nodded, “Quackity wanted me to go to Heaven’s Cavern with him,” 

Sapnap widened his eyes, but she gave him a smile.

“Don’t worry, we’re only going to see George and Jorja. I’ve already had my closure with Schlatt, and I really do not want to ever see Clay again,” she reassured her lover, even if it was a lie. It was true that she didn’t want to see Dream, but she was lying about how she won’t be seeing him. Sapnap believed her, took her word for it.

He nodded, “Yeah, just be careful, okay? You know about the attacks recently.” 

Recently, starting from about a month ago, there had been attacks happening in the forest and just outside the villages. Most of the victims were just badly injured, but some were killed on impact, and some died later due to complications from their injuries. 

“I know,” Alanna smiled at him, “I’ll be careful, don’t worry.”

Sapnap continued to stare at her, almost glaring, causing her to laugh.

“I’m serious! I’ll be careful, Sap, I promise.” She walked over to him and pecked his lips before she headed towards the door, “I’ll be back before dinner!” she called out as she left the room. Sapnap watched her with droopy shoulders and creased eyebrows. 

He heaves out a sigh. 

“Please stay safe.”

* * *

**song ;** _bridges - kyle lux_

_(continued)_

“You’re not that tall, ya’know.”

“You’re rude,” but Alanna just roars with laughter. They were in the middle of the forest, following the trail to Heaven's Cavern. The sky was getting darker as each minute passed by, twigs snapping underneath their boots. The wind was getting stronger now, but it wasn’t too bad. Alanna’s hair was in a tight ponytail, her clothes were loose but they fit her just right. Quackity, on the other hand, was dressed formally, like a king, but instead of his father’s original emerald attire, its colors were a dark blue and a jet black, some white and red that was mainly only the jewels of his attire and crown. 

“Here it is,” said Alanna, raising her hand to point to the wooden sign that had the words ‘Heaven’s Cavern’ engraved into the bark. Quackity shuddered as the wind hit his clothed back, feeling a chill go down his spine. He felt guilty for lying to his fiance, but he oddly felt even more guilty for lying to Karl. He knew Kara was Alanna’s sister, Karl’s aunt, but the fact that he had to lie to Karl about going to see Dream, the man who was as much as his father as he was the murderer of Karl’s father. It made Quackity feel awful, a traitor to his own best friend. 

He knew his Kingdom couldn’t care less, but he worried about Karl finding out. He had a feeling he wasn’t the same old calm kid he was all those years ago. 

  
  


_“W-What are you d-doing here?” He asked the boy — who wasn’t supposed to be out there at all, “Are you w-wanting to kill h-her?” Of course, that was the first thing he wanted to know as the boy gestured for him to take his hand away from her._

_The boy shook his head, “No,” he spoke, “but trust me, ‘kay?”_

_Sapnap hesitates, but he lets the boy tear his hand away from the bloody shirt over Alanna’s wound, and with a gentle placement of the boy’s hand on it, a red and white glow begins to appear from his hand. Sapnap’s eyes widen even more, and some of the others look over. The fighting around them began to slow and stop, but the ones in the far distance continued. The boy’s hand turned pure white, but only up to his wrist as now the wound was glowing red and white like his inner hand._

_Alanna’s labored breathing became regular, and she coughs harshly, spitting up some blood onto the ground next to her. The wound was healed, almost completely gone, and the boy turned to Alanna, who looked back and pulled him into a tight hug._

_“Oh, my darling,” she whispered with tear-filled eyes, “Karl . . . You saved me.”_

_Karl, the boy with his little horns, hugs back, “I learned from Papa,” he spoke to her gently, “He taught me so I could protect you in the future.”_

_Schlatt knew Alanna was a White Wither Human, and he knew Karl had her blood. He taught him how to heal others, how to protect his mother if Schlatt wasn’t there to do so. It gave Alanna a feeling that maybe, Schlatt knew he was going to die — just not when. Maybe that was one of his powers as the son of Lucifer, but all she could think about was how her youngest son, the one who seemed less like his father, was even more like his father, in the best way possible._

Karl had told him the story so many times, it was almost tradition. The story of how he saved his mother from death during the L’Manburg v. Pogtopia war when Karl was only eleven. But now, six years later, when he’s turning eighteen less than a month after the Pogtopia ball, which was the day of Alanna’s thirty third birthday. 

But ever since that day, Karl made it tradition to tell that story at every holiday gathering. It made him feel validated, cool, brave, courageous - but he was always that. He shouldn’t need others to tell him how great is, he shouldn’t need the validation. But he thinks he does.

Because, well, his lack of a father figure.

He had a father for the first eight years of his life, then he died. Became absent in his life, never saw him again. As much as Karl wants to be just as great as his father, both Quackity and Alanna worry he might become evil, use his dark power for bad rather than good. Become the bad version of his father. 

“Quackity?”

The King turned to the voice, snapping out of his thoughts to find the older woman staring at him with a concerned expression. “Y-Yeah?” He replied, his throat was dry.

She tilted her head towards the entrance to the cavern, “You ready?” 

The younger male blinked at her once, then twice, but nodded his head. He stepped forward and they headed into Heaven's Cavern. The walls were still lit up with candles, but the cave wasn’t cold. It was rather warm, but it wasn’t too humid. It was just right, felt like Heaven. 

Before they entered the main room, Alanna took Quackity’s arm, gripping his sleeve. 

“Are you sure you want to do this, Quackity?”

The King nodded his head. “I’m sure.” 

Hesitant, they stepped into the main room, the circular room shaped like a dome, made of concrete and rock, candles were lit and they hung on the walls. Quackity took a spin around, examining everything before Alanna walked over to a column, and she gestured for him to walk over to him. Like Sapnap had done with her before all those years ago, Alanna grabbed Quackity’s wrist and guided his hand to place it against the orange crystal on the column. 

A great mist begins to form in three different places, and soon the mist forms into three ghosts. George, Jorja, and Dream. But then Quackity took his unoccupied hand and grabbed Alanna’s other hand, placing it on the crystal as well. She gasps, “Quackity- what are you-”

“Trust me on this, okay?” Quackity said to her quietly, and hesitantly, Alanna nods.

Another mist had formed, or two, and Alanna and Quackity stepped away from the column, looking at the ghosts, and there was when Alanna took a step back, her eyes beginning to dance. A man with emerald attire and a broken mask on his face, a woman in a royal dress and a round face, a man with lapiz attire and dark brown hair, a man in a suit with horns, but there was someone else - another female with horns, just like the man’s but hers were smaller, and her looks resembled the man as well. Alanna recognized her almost immediately.

“Alanna,”

The woman turned to the younger male, her eyes a bit wide. 

“I didn’t know she would be here, too,” Quackity whispered to her, but Alanna just gave him a grin and headed over to the group of ghosts, causing Quackity to gasp and fret. Alanna was someone who worried about the things she would say and how others would react, but at the same time, Alanna can also be extremely brutally honest, not afraid to speak her mind, not afraid of confrontation and making remarks to possibly dangerous people.

“Ah, if it isn’t the son and daughter of the Devil himself,” Alanna grinned, though she only hugged Schlatt, patting his back as she gave Erin a bit of a glare. She still had a bit of a grudge against Erin for stabbing her. She still had a scar. 

“It’s great to see you, dear,” Schlatt spoke to her like she was a good friend, not her deceased husband. Schlatt knew his boundaries, he knew she was with another now. 

Giving Schlatt a quick grin as she pulled away from the hug, Alanna turned to Erin as she took a couple steps back, standing next to Quackity once again. “It’s good to see you, Erin,” she said to her former sister-in-law, “It really is.”

Erin took a moment, but she nodded at her. “You, too.”

But that’s when Alanna turned to George, grabbing his sleeve (though it felt misty and almost not there as he was a ghost, but she could still feel his touch) and pulled him into a tight hug. She pulls back and smiles at him, wiping away a single tear. “I’m sorry I couldn’t save you, George,” she said to the ghost, but George just let out a chuckle.

“It’s not your fault, Alanna,” George told her, “don’t worry about it.”

Jorja stepped forward and hugged Alanna, too. “It’s good to see you again,” Jorja said to the younger woman, and Alanna nodded, patting Jorja’s back lightly before she stepped back again. But then, Alanna met eyes with the man she really didn’t want to see at all, but she had agreed to come here, and there was definitely no backing out now.

“Dream,” she firmly said his name.

The said man stared at her, and with an uneven expression, though part of his face was covered from half of his mask still on his face. All you could see of his face was his lips, the scar down his cheek from his right eye, and some of his freckles. His skin, shockingly, was not burned or scarred (from the fire, but the rest of his scars were there as clear as day).

“Alanna,” He greeted her, “It’s good to see you.” 

She scoffs, but calms herself, “Yeah, sure.” And she turns back to Quackity, “Go on and talk to your parents, boy,” she was visibly upset, not wanting to even look at Dream, the man who murdered Schlatt in cold blood. 

Quackity knew not to take her remarks and attitude personally. She was easily aggravated, though she can keep herself contained and composed, but she still ends up making remarks towards others a lot. Some would find them funny, but it’s true anger in her words, though they’re usually said in a calm, more blunt manner. 

“Dad,” Quackity stepped over to him, “I know I haven’t came to see you, but I’m here now, and-”

“Alex,”

Quackity let out a ‘huh’ as his father cut him off, and slowly, Dream raised his head, those black dots on his mask that were his eyes - they stared into Quackity’s, but it wasn’t creepy. It made Quackity feel . . . sad?

“We,” he turned to look over to Jorja, but she turned away and stepped over to Alanna and began to talk to her, “your mother and I told you that your birth mother died in childbirth, that you were born out of wedlock.” Dream cleared his throat, “But- unfortunately, that was a lie.”

Quackity furrowed his eyebrow, “Dad, what are you talking about?”

George, who stood next to Alanna, looked over to Dream, and with a silent frown, George shakes his head and turns back to Alanna.

“I . . . I’m not your real father.”

The room became silent, and everyone was now looking to Quackity and Dream who stood in front of each other. Schlatt, with furrowed eyebrows, stared at the former King, confused, but with a saddened realization, he sighs and turns away. 

Quackity’s eyes began to dance. “What do you mean you’re not my real father?”

Dream’s breath hitched, “I’m not your real father, and your birth mother didn’t die. She’s alive,” and he looks down, “She lives in the castle.”

Alanna felt her anger build more, “She’s in the castle?!” She raises her voice, heading over to Dream, “You mean to tell me that you lied to Quackity all his fucking life just to tell him the truth after you fucking died and become a ghost, and the truth is literally how you’re not his real dad and how his real mother has been living with him in the castle for what? How long?”

Dream sighed, “Since she was banished from L’Manburg,” he answered.

“Banished?” Quackity intruded the conversation, even though it was originally between Dream and him. “She was banished from L’Manburg . . . wait . . .” That’s when he began to realize, “No,” he shook his head, “You can’t be serious.”

Alanna raised her eyebrow, “Who is it, Quackity?”

Quackity shivered, and hesitantly, he raised his head to look his father in the eyes.

“It’s Alyssa,” 

A hush fell over the dome shaped room, Quackity’s heart was beating quicker now.

Schlatt looks over to Dream, who looks back at him, and with a silent nod, Dream, with his ghostly hands, takes Quackity and pulls him into a tight embrace, making sure Quackity wouldn’t realize who his real father was, or at least stop him from voicing his thoughts.

Quackity, as he had missed his father’s hugs, raised his arms and hugged him back, not wanting to let go. Even though he was a ghost, he smelt like burning wood. 

As the minutes went by, soon the two living people would have to leave and head back to the castle before dinner. Quackity, though had slightly forgotten about the reveal of his birth mother, who Alanna was sure the boy would confront at dinner tonight.

“Alanna,” the woman turned to Erin who had called her name, “before you go, can I speak to you?”

Schlatt, in almost a split second, saw Alanna’s sour expression, “Lana, don’t-”

“You tried to kill me.”

George took a step back, knowing what could happen at any moment.

“You stabbed me with your sword, wanting to kill me and take me away from my children like Dream took Schlatt away from them, too. My children - my three eldest children have lived without their father for nine years now, and as much as they upsets me, I’m glad to have Sapnap by my side to help me raise my children. Even though I wasn’t able to raise Tubbo for the first thirteen years of his life, I was able to raise him for the next six years. He’s nineteen years old now, while Karl is seventeen, just a year younger than him. But I wouldn’t be able to be here, to raise my eldest son, to raise Karl and my daughters if Karl hadn’t saved my life after you stabbed me in the back after so many years of us being so close.”

Alanna shook her head.

“We’re going now,” she said sternly, “come on, Quackity.”

Quackity gave Jorja one quick hug, a wave to George, and began to head out of the room, following Alanna, but then he stopped, and so Alanna stopped as well, turning around to look at him, but knew from his expression that he was about to say something that maybe he shouldn’t say, but even so, he needed to say it.

“You shouldn’t be worried about your kids, Schlatt,” Quackity told the horned man, “I know Sapnap and Alanna will get married sooner or later, and that means he’ll be their stepdad, but that’s okay. He’s a good guy, and he helps raise them and teach them so they’ll grow into amazing people. And Schlatt,” the King gave Schlatt a smile, “you shouldn’t worry about them forgetting about you. Sapnap and Alanna always tell them stories about you, the stories about your bravery in the wars you fought in, little quick stories where something funny happened - any story that would show your kids that you were a true, good person.”

Quackity let out a sigh, and before he turns around and leaves the cavern with Alanna, he gives Schlatt another smile, a reassuring one - one that would ease him from his worries.

“And no matter what, you’ll always be their dad.”

  
  


* * *

**song ;** _saline solution - wilbur_

“You were great in there, kid.”

Quackity glanced over to Alanna. “Oh, thanks.” He had this uneasy feeling, feeling a bit odd as the two headed back to the Kingdom. It was dark outside, the wind was getting stronger. The forest around the trail was dark and everything inside of it was hidden in the darkness. The crowd on Quackity’s head had no reflection, no shininess, at all. Not even the moon reflected itself on the dark colored gold. But that’s not why he felt weird.

Alanna was a couple steps ahead of Quackity, her hands swung by each side of her, facing forward as she tried to quicken her pace, though she could’ve just sprouted her wings and flew to the castle, but for some reason, she decided not to. 

“Did you forgive Dream?”

“No,” Quackity was rather quick to respond, “I didn’t.”

“You sure?” Alanna asked, a bit darkly, “It seemed like you did.”

“You haven’t forgiven him, or Erin,” said Quackity, “but you were quick to forgive Schlatt.”

“Because it wasn’t his choice to die,” Alanna said, “he was murdered by Dream, taken away from the kids and I, without any warning whatsoever. Erin, she tried to kill me, betrayed me after we were best friends for years. She blamed me for her brother’s death, his murder, which I had nothing to do with, and tried to kill me for it. And Dream, fuck- He was the one who murdered Schlatt, Quackity.”

Quackity huffed, “I know, but-”

“There’s no buts about it!” Alanna exclaimed, cutting Quackity off, “Dream was a bad person. I know Schlatt did some bad things in the past, but Dream killed more, ruined more lives than Schlatt ever did. Dream lied to you, tried to kill Techno just because he had this fixation that Techno killed his father when he really didn’t. He was a bad person, Quackity.”

The King sighed, shaking his head. 

“So how do I confront Alyssa?” 

Alanna let out a sigh, calming down now.

“How do I tell her that I know she’s my real mother?” Quackity’s voice was quieter, hushed. “How do I ask who my real father is? Would that mean I can no longer be King?” Alanna could hear the panic in the younger king’s voice. “What if they take me away from the throne? What if Kara won’t love me anymore-”

Alanna grabbed Quackity’s arm and placed her hands on his shoulders, facing him, trying to calm him down. “Quackity, you’re talking nonsense.” She tells him, “Kara would still love you, even if you were some poor village boy. She fell in love with the real you, not the royal you. And when you do go see Alyssa, I think you shouldn't be full on asking who your real father is. Because, well, you might remind her of something bad, the reason she gave you away.” 

Quackity nodded, but Alanna wasn’t finished.

“I honestly believe you should wait to go see Alyssa.”

“What?” 

“You need time to process it before you go off and find out more stuff, you’ll end up overwhelming yourself, Quackity.” She explains to him, and that ends up convincing him.

“Fine,” Quackity huffed, “but I will go see her soon.”

Alanna pats his shoulder, smiling, “Let’s get home already.”

* * *

**song ;** _cane shuga - glass animals_

_4 YEARS AGO_

“That’s stupid.”

“No, not really,” said Karl, pulling his arm back, aiming the bow to shoot the arrow (which was on fire) at the red target that had been painted on a stack of hay, “I think it’ll be cool!” 

Karl was now about 13, two years had passed since the war, and yet he was still trying so hard, training himself so hard, to be just as good as his father, the (deceased but) Great General Schlatt of Pogtopia. Trying to live up to the name, he was. Karl Schlatt was his name, and even though he had just turned 13, barely even a teenager, and ever since he was just eight years old, after Schlatt had died (though, he trained some before Schlatt’s death), he’s trained to be great, just like his father. 

Quackity, now 18, shook his head, watching Karl train as he was free of his royal duties as King for the moment, wanting to check in on his soon-to-be right hand man. Karl was about 16 when he was initiated as Quackity’s right hand man, as Quackity was crowned as King at age 17, after the death of his mother - which was a year before now. 

“It’s an arrow on fire,” Quackity warned him, “I’m pretty sure Schlatt didn’t use arrows on fire with his bows.” 

Karl shrugged carelessly. “Well, maybe I want to be greater than him.” 

He let go of the string, letting the arrow fly towards the target. The fire spreads to the hay, setting the entire stack on fire all so quickly. The fire grew large and high, Karl raised his head to admire it, but Quackity just stared at Karl, with almost worried eyes.

“I have to be,” Karl said, “because if I end up like him, I don’t think I could live with myself,” Quackity knew Karl was referring to Schlatt’s business with Wilbur, his killings and robberies, “so promise me, if I end up like him,” with a slow, almost hesitant turn of his head, Karl looks to Quackity with a dark grin, a smirk, “you won’t hesitate to kill me.”

* * *

**song ;** _keeping a secret - bleachers_

_PRESENT DAY_

Dinner ended rather quickly.

Chrisalyn took her plate and set it into the sink, rinsing it off before she took her empty glass and did the same thing for it. Ranboo entered the kitchen from the dining room and smiled, “Dinner was good,” he complimented, and Chrisalyn smiled back.

“Good,” she said, “you know I worked very hard to make it that good.”

Ranboo shortly nodded, rinsing off his own plate as Chrisalyn walked over to the large mirror on the wall, just left of the threshold that led into the dining room where they ate dinner. The two lived alone in a brick cottage in L’Manburg, literally inside the castle’s borders. It was close by if Techno, Chrisalyn’s older (though half) brother, needed them. 

About two years ago, Chrisalyn and Techno found out that they were only half siblings, not full blooded siblings. Techno is a full blooded pig, though he takes shape as a human due to a mutation in his genetics. However, Chrisalyn is only half pig, so she is half human, and she has no mutations in her genetics as her human blood makes her look human. Although, her hair had been turning a slight pink, meaning her pig genes are now beginning to show. 

“Do you think our children will struggle with their identity?”

Ranboo scoffed, “What are you talking about, Chrisalyn?”

“Our children, t-they’ll have all sorts of genetics. Part Enderman, part White Wither, part pig, and part human. That’s- that’s a lot, Ranboo.” Chrisalyn described, but Ranboo stared at her with a blank expression, his red and green eyes were just nonchalant.

“Children?” Ranboo asked, “We don’t have any,” He said that like they were some type of food, like apples or bananas. It made Chrisalyn feel offended.

“I know, but I want children, soon actually,” Ranboo’s eyes widened, “don’t you?”

Ranboo fixed his composure, clearing his throat before he spoke.

“No,” Ranboo said, “I don’t.”

Chrisalyn furrows her eyebrows, “You don’t want kids now or you don’t ever want kids?”

“Why would I want to bring a child into this wretched world?” Ranboo questioned his wife, “Children are full of sunshine and joy, so why would I want to ruin that with what comes with this awful, deadly world?” 

“We can protect them,” Chrisalyn said, “take care of them, raise them, create a family together, Ranboo.” But her husband did not listen to her words, he only shook his head and walked past her. 

“I don’t want kids,” said Ranboo, “and that’s final.”

He exited the room then without another word rolling off his tongue. His wife continued to stand there alone in the kitchen, sighing as she pinched the bride in between her eyes, closing them as she huffed. This wasn’t like Ranboo. He loved kids, he was great with kids. He got along with Camille and now Mala so well, and both Chrisalyn and Alanna knew that, but suddenly, it was revealed of Ranboo’s true feelings about children, or at least having children of his own.

He was so different now. Maybe he had matured since he was now a married man to the love of his life, maybe it was because he has a higher, more important role in protecting the kingdom of L’Manburg. Chrisalyn wasn’t sure. She was only scared.

Scared of what Ranboo might be hiding.

  
  


* * *

**song ;** _melting - kali uchis_

Sapnap took the blanket on the bed and lifted it, getting back into bed. The night was now coming to an end, it was soon to be dawn. He had just gotten Mala back to sleep, and Alanna was still up, sitting at the desk. Sapnap was a bit upset that she wasn’t resting, but he knew she could function just fine with just two hours of sleep, which she had gotten from eight to ten just hours ago.

She was a hardworking person, an ambitious though very compassionate and emotional person. Sapnap loved that about her. But he wasn’t very fond of how she didn’t sleep much. 

“Are you going to come back to bed?” asks Sapnap, his voice was slightly groggy. 

Alanna didn’t look up from her journal, keeping her eyes glued to the paper as she wrote with her ink filled pen. “Maybe,” she replied, “depends if I’m able to finish this paper quickly.” 

She was requested to write something for the printing presses in the villages, one of the newspaper columnists wanted some quotes and thoughts from her about the upcoming Pogtopia Ball that she was planning all by herself.

Sapnap grunts, “Babe, come on,” he groans, patting the spot next to him on the bed, “you need rest just as much as the rest of us.” Sapnap was already underneath the covers, laying down on his neck, though he lifted his head to look at his lover across the room.

“I have to finish this paper, Sap,” Alanna replied. “I’ll try to be there as soon as I can,”

Sapnap threw the blanket off of him, sitting up and sliding off the bed. He heads over to Alanna’s desk, wrapping his arms around her neck loosely, leaning down, pressing his chest lightly against the back of her head while his chin sits on the top. 

“You’re pretty,”

Alanna lets out an awkward chuckle, “That came out of nowhere,” she mumbled, but Sapnap giggled and kissed the top of her head. He continues to stand there like that, watching her as she tries to finish her paper. 

“Do you,” she pauses, “do you think we should’ve waited?”

Sapnap raises his eyebrow, “Waited . . . for what?” He tilts his head.

Alanna took in a deep breath. “Waited to have Mala,” she said, “it’s just- we’re not even married, Sapnap. I just- I don’t know.” She was lost in her thoughts, confusing herself with her words. Sapnap just laughed.

He stepped away from her, but grabbed onto the back of her chair, pulling it back. She yelps, surprised by this (and also a bit frightened), but Sapnap kneels in front of her and smiles up right at her.

“You and Schlatt were married for less than three months before you got pregnant with Tubbo, giving birth to him almost exactly a year after getting married, then had Karl a year and a half later. You were a teenager when you had both of them, but now you’re an adult. You’re an adult in a committed relationship with someone who knows how to raise children and love them and let them know that they’re loved, and you- you’re the exact same way but you’re better. You’re better than me in every way, and you should know that you’re the best mother anyone could ever ask for,” Sapnap’s voice was sincere and kind, soft and smooth. He wasn't usually good with words, but he knew how to get his point across easily, especially with Alanna. But that didn’t convince her. What did was the sudden mention of Schlatt and her eldest sons.

“I know it was different back then,” 

Sapnap hummed as he listened to her speak. 

“But I can’t help that I worry, you of all people should know that.”

“And I do,” Sapnap said, leaning up and pecking her nose, “I do know that, which is why I’m reassuring you that it’s okay to feel like, but also you should realize how great parents we are, and how we are raising them to be just as great.” 

The woman sighs, but she curves her lips into a smile and kisses Sapnap, connecting their lips for a few seconds before she pulls back, keeping that smile on her face.

“I love you,” she says, “you know that, right?”

Sapnap nods, pecking her lips. “And I love you even more, sweetheart.” He then swoops her off the chair, causing her to yelp, but then she begins to laugh as Sapnap carries her to the bed, placing her down.

Alanna’s laughing dies down, “Not possible,” and she pulls Sapnap close. 

He gets onto the bed, getting under the covers, and he leans over to the nightstand and blows out the fire in the lantern that lit up that area in the room. “Hey, could you-”

“Got it,” said Alanna, and with just a twirl of a finger, the rest of the lanterns were put out, causing the room to go dark. “Goodnight, I guess,” she said sarcastically. Sapnap just chuckled and rolled over onto his back.

“Love you, too, babe.”

  
  


**end of chapter one.**


	2. Confronting Her

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prince Quackity decides to venture off to find Alyssa with General Alanna, wanting to find out the truth of Quackity's parents while it's now beginning to show Dream's childhood before he grew up and became the King of Pogtopia.

**song ;** _pink + white - frank ocean_

“Didn’t Alyssa disappear?”

“She did,” said Quackity, sitting on his throne as Alanna stood before him. Kara and Camille had left to play in the garden while Karl was helping train some of the newest recruits for the Royal Guard since Sapnap was off duty and spent this free time with the kids. “Now, we just have to figure out where she is, and why exactly she left.”

Alanna shrugged. 

“I’m not sure, Quackity,” she admitted, “Alyssa left for a reason, her own personal reason. Maybe we should leave her be, and let her choose when she wants to see us and even come back.” Alanna explained, but Quackity didn’t listen.

“She’s my mother, Alanna,” Quackity said firmly, “I have to find her.”

“She’s been your ‘mother’ for what? Two days? Hell, she’s not even here!” Alanna exclaims at the Pogtopia King, “You’ve talked to her maybe twice in your entire lifetime, and now all the sudden you want to find her so bad to the point you’re ignoring why she left without warning in the first place!”

Quackity stared at her with shaking eyes.

“Alyssa left because she wants to be alone,”

  
  


“ _ I can do this,” _

_ She zips her bags and picks them up with both hands. _

_ “It’s for the best. He’ll know soon. I have to do this.” _

  
  


She left because she didn’t want Quackity to be disappointed in her, for letting Dream take him away and use him as his heir after his real son was supposedly dead, when really Dream’s own wife took him away and gave him to an orphanage in L’Manburg.

Alanna knew that, she knows everything because of her telepathy. Though, she’s stayed clear of seeing Sapnap’s thoughts as she finds it crossing a line that shouldn’t be crossed as she finds it inappropriate to see her lover’s thoughts. She finds it intrusive, and she doesn’t see other’s thoughts most of the time. She only uses this power when it’s necessary. 

“She left because of you,” 

The young King gasped, taking one step back with his left foot. “You’re wrong,” she’s never wrong, “why- why would she leave because of me?”

Alanna stares at him, hitching her breath, “Because-”

“I’m going to find her, Alanna,” Quackity interrupted her, “I don’t care why she left, or if she won’t want to see me, but I’m going to see her,” he walks past Alanna briefly, walking towards the entrance to the throne room, “even if it’s the last thing I do.” And he left.

  
  


* * *

**song ;** _ pink + white - frank ocean _

_ (continued) _

“You didn’t have to come with me,”

“You’re a twenty-two year old King going off on his own to find his real mother without even knowing where she could possibly be,” said Alanna as she followed Quackity almost directly behind him.

Quackity was riding his horse (whose name was Garmouth), heading down the trail between the two large fields just outside the castle’s borders. He had planned to leave the Kingdom and venture off by himself to find Alyssa. Unfortunately, Alanna had caught up with him using her white misty wings.

“I’m going to search the forest first, then the Outlands,” Quackity informed Alanna, “are you sure you want to come with me?”

“Yeah, but we could just go to her house,” said Alanna. Quackity suddenly pulls the lead rope, halting his horse, and he abruptly turns to her.

“You know where she lives?”

Alanna just points to her head in response.

Quackity scoffs, shaking his head. He turns back and faces forward, lowering his head for a moment. His smile fades, but he raises his head and nods shortly. “Am I doing the right thing?” he asks, doubting himself and his choices, his rash decisions. “I don’t think I am,”

“It’s up to you to decide that,” Alanna replied, “not at all me.”

He nods again, “Okay,” and they continue down the trail.

According to what Alanna saw, Alyssa lived in a wooden cottage somewhere in the deep, darkened forest of the Outlands. She knew no one would ever find her there, or even think she would live there and actually venture off to find her if they knew she lived there. The Outlands were scary, only for the people who were banished from the two Kingdoms (or any Kingdom for that matter) would go and live there. But Alyssa, she lived in Pogtopia even after her banishment from L’Manburg since she divorced Techno, though the reason why she divorced him was still unknown, like the reason why she left Pogtopia out of nowhere was also unknown, for mostly everyone while Alanna saw into Alyssa’s mind and saw a memory from the night she packed and left before the morning where everyone found that she was gone.

Alanna had no opinion on the Outlands, but Quackity hated it. It was terrifying, it looked like a desert of lost souls and skeletons. It was dry, it rarely ever rained there. He had a feeling that no one would live too long there in the Outlands. It was too inhabitable, yet people still lived there, though it made sense that some would make it to the Outlands forest, where there is water and animals, plants and enough wood to build a whole neighborhood of cottages. There was life, but some wouldn’t make it there. 

“We’re almost to the Outlands,” Alanna spoke, breaking the silence, “the forest shouldn’t be too far,” she pointed to the sandy grass on the ground as they approached it, “Look! Sand!”

Sometimes, Quackity felt as if Alanna was still a child at heart. She would become excited about the littlest things, giggling at little words that Sapnap would exchange with her quietly. Maybe, Schlatt wasn’t good at doing such things with her.

Or maybe it was because she grew up too fast. She practically raised Kara, her own sister, and she married Schlatt at age fifteen, when he was sixteen himself, and had Tubbo just nine months after the wedding. She grew up way too fast, never able to have a true childhood.

So that could be why she tried so hard for Karl to have a good childhood, even if he did lose his dad at age eight. 

“Yeah, the borders should be close now,” Quackity told her, holding the rope in his hand that was connected to the halter around the horse’s face. 

The silence was growing between them, Alanna used her wings to fly as her legs had grown tired and started to hurt since she had already walked so much along the way. 

Though, the pain in her feet and legs didn’t corrupt her mind, not as much as her thoughts about the young Pogtopia King. Quackity had grown up so much in the last five years, knowing he had to be the best King, or at least a better King than his father. To be good, to not use violence to get his way. His father, and even his father’s father, created a terrible name of the royal bloodline, even if Quackity wasn’t even part of that bloodline. But he was King, the adopted son of the former King Dream, and he found that since he wasn’t actually blood related to his father and his grandfather, then maybe, he’d for sure be better than them, change the Kingdom in a good way, instead of trying to ruin it like they tried to.

On the other hand, Karl had also grown up too fast, quicker than Quackity did. Karl became mature and grew up before he even needed to, due to the loss of his father at age eight. He hunted with that bow and arrow, in which he bought just minutes prior to Schlatt’s death that fateful day. He became a great hunter at the ripe age of 10, just two years after his death, and even though he claimed he was doing this to honor his father, it was really to protect and help his mother as she was a single mother at the time. Even now, with Alanna being with Sapnap, Karl goes out of his way to help his dear mother.

“Karl’s doing good as your right hand man,” Alanna quirks her eyebrow at him, “right?”

Quackity quickly nods, “Oh, for sure.”

Alanna looked off in the distance, “You’d tell me if something was going on with him,” she then looked back at Quackity, a frown on her face, “right?” 

_ “I have to be,” Karl said, “because if I end up like him, I don’t think I could live with myself,” Quackity knew Karl was referring to Schlatt’s business with Wilbur, his killings and robberies, “so promise me, if I end up like him,” with a slow, almost hesitant turn of his head, Karl looks to Quackity with a dark grin, a smirk, “you won’t hesitate to kill me.” _

“Yeah, definitely,” Quackity gulped nervously. It’s been four years since Karl said that, but Quackity was sure that the particular, that worrying, mindset of Karl’s hadn’t changed. It was even to the point where Quackity worried that Karl may be a risk to himself and others, but he couldn’t just tell Alanna that, especially because she was Karl’s mother. 

Alanna felt odd about Quackity’s words, the way he was acting. It made her think he was acting a bit strange, but she shrugged it off and decided not to see into his mind. 

Soon enough, the two arrived at the entrance to the Outlands. The walls were barely even walls anymore, it looked so abandoned. The bricks had fallen from their former place on the wall, scattered on the ground. It was as if no one had been here in years. Alanna wouldn’t be surprised if that was true. 

“Alyssa’s cottage is in the forest,” said Quackity, “and based on how far the forest is supposed to be from the entrance, how do you suppose we get there?” he turns to Alanna.

Alanna shrugged, “Not sure,” she replied. 

She walks over to the fallen wall, raising her hand to place it against the wall. The bricks were dented and deteriorating, decomposing as they were mostly covered in vines. It looked lifeless, so lost and alone. 

“Let’s walk by foot,” she said, still facing the wall, “it’ll be easier, plus we wouldn’t have to worry about anyone trying to kill our horse inside,” there could be survivors, savages who were banished for good reasons who are trying to thrive inside the Outlands, meaning they could easily try to kill Quackity’s horse, “so come on, let’s hurry.”

Quackity nodded his head and the two entered the Outlands.

* * *

**song ;** _lover is a day - cuco_

“How long will she be gone for?”

Jade shrugs her shoulders, “No idea, but she’ll probably be home before dark.” She took the plates from the dinner table and stacked them, walking over to the sink to rinse them and wash them.

Sapnap, Camille, and Mala had just finished eating dinner with Jade, Purpled, and Fundy. Karl couldn’t make it as he was busy with overnight training. Kara also couldn’t make it as she was busy with her own personal training. Fundy, though he had his own duties, took a break to spend time and eat dinner with his parents (though adoptive) and his other family members, since Sapnap was Jade’s brother after all.

“Yeah,” Sapnap looked over and picked up Mala from the high chair, holding her in his arms. “So, Jade, I - uh - wanted to talk to you about something, if you don’t mind.”

“Bout what?” Jade perked her head up slightly, “Is something wrong?”

Sapnap shook his head, rather quickly, “No, no, nothing bad. It’s just about something with Alanna,” 

Jade raises her eyebrow, though she continues to look down at the sink as she washes the dishes, “Now that sounds bad, Sap,” she mentioned, but Sapnap just shook his head.

“No, don’t worry, it’s not bad,” then Sapnap thought for a second, “unless it is, but anyways,” he clears his throat, “I’m going to propose to her soon,”

Jade gasped loudly, dropping the plate in her hands into the sink.

“You’re . . . what?”

This took Sapnap off guard, but he continued.

“I’ve planning to for a while, and I think I should do it soon, though I haven’t had the best luck in asking her, but I won’t stop trying until I do, so you-”

“You’re going to propose?” Jade interrupted him. She stared, her face full of shock. 

Sapnap nodded, “Yes, I have the ring in my back pocket actually,” he reaches for it, holding Mala just fine with his other arm, and he takes out the ring box, opening it and showing it to Jade. She throws her soapy hands over her mouth.

“Oh my god,” Jade walked over to him, looking at the ring, “it’s so perfect. Why haven’t you asked her yet?” She questioned her brother, a bit mad that he hadn’t asked Alanna yet.

Sapnap chuckles, “Yeah, trying to propose to the Pogtopia General isn’t the easiest thing to do in this world, you know. She’s always busy, helping people and protecting them. I have no problem with that - I think it’s great! But, I would like to propose to her very soon.”

Jade giggles with glee, so excited for her older brother, “I’m happy for you, Sap.”

Sapnap let out a sigh, “I’m really happy, too.”

  
  


* * *

**song ;** _ heaven - brett dennen _

_ 3 years ago _

The snow covered the ground, the roofs, the fields, the trails. It was freezing - actually, it was below freezing - that day on December 23rd, three years ago. Tubbo’s sixteenth birthday. Alanna had planned a huge party for the L’Manburg Prince at the Pogtopia Castle, as it would be easier to plan without Tubbo knowing of it. 

Tubbo never really had a true birthday before, he always liked keeping it a casual day, like nothing was special about that day at all. He was never able to actually enjoy the day without any Prince duties getting in the way, and once he got much older, it was the remembrance of how he was taken away from his birth family. His birthday - he was never fond of it.

Luckily, Alanna remembered Tubbo’s birthday, and later found out that he had never had a birthday party before, so she began to plan the party - but after she finished planning, she went to L’Manburg.

“Ah, Alanna,” King Techno glanced back behind him, “I’m surprised to see you here, especially in this kind of weather,” as it was pretty much an ice storm outside.

Alanna stepped into the study, looking around. The room was tidy, clean. Techno was hanging up a photo on the wall just right of the large window in the middle of the opposite wall from the entrance to the study. 

She thinned her lips, “Oh, I just wanted to talk to you about Tubbo,”

Techno raised his eyebrow as he continued to hang up the photo, “Tubbo? What about him?” He found it weird that Alanna was asking him about her own son, though it did make sense because Tubbo was the Prince of L’Manburg, while Techno was King of it - meaning Techno and Tubbo were very close.

“His birthday is today,” Alanna began to say, “we’re having a birthday party tonight in Pogtopia, I just wanted to see if you could bring him there by 7, it’s when the party starts.”

Techno lowered his hands, “Yeah, definitely,” he fixed the photo a bit, trying to make sure it wasn’t crooked. Techno turned back and looked at her slowly, hestating. By now, Alanna had realized what the hanging portrait was of. “I know he was bad,” Techno began to speak, a bit lowly, “but I feel guilty for not helping him when I could’ve. I was so reluctant and ignorant, and I let him turn into this evil being who- who-”

He couldn’t get the words out. He was choking up, trying to keep in his sobs. He took in a deep breath, and then continued on. 

“It’s my fault,” Techno said, “I let him become so dark and evil, and didn’t even attempt to stop him.” That guilt was tearing Techno apart, and as much as Alanna wanted to relate and comfort Techno, she had nothing to say. “I let his mind corrupt him, turn him into a worse version of his father, who was the fucking Devil himself, and-”

Alanna perked her head up, “Wait, what did you just say?” Techno let out a slight gasp.

“It was figurative, don’t worry. Anyways,” Techno was changing the subject, “I’ll bring Tubbo there tonight, so I’ll see you then.” He was being short with his words, trying to push Alanna away and get her to leave all so suddenly.

She picked up on it, but didn’t want to read his mind. LIke mentioned before, she finds it rude and intrusive when she does that without permission. 

“Okay, thanks,” Alanna nodded her head, “I’ll see you tonight,” she waved and left the room, but before so, she caught the portrait, and who it was of, right as she turned to walk out of the room. 

That night, the party was great. Tubbo actually really enjoyed it, and everyone was very happy. Though, Alanna and Techno didn’t ever talk about what he had called Dream’s father. For one, they only really spoke when they were alone as Techno wasn’t the sociable type, even though he was the L’Manburg King. But, even though three years passed by, Alanna would still think about the portrait that Techno hung in his own study at his castle.

The portrait that he had just hung right behind him on the wall, it wasn’t of his sister Chrisalyn, or Ranboo, Alanna or Sapnap, not even his former wife Alyssa. But, instead . . .

It was Dream.

  
  


* * *

**song ;** _heaven - brett dennen_

_ (continued) _

After another hour of walking, they arrived at Alyssa’s cottage in the middle of the Outlands Forest. Quackity, who had complained and whined almost the entire time, was lit up with glee once they finally made it to Alyssa’s cottage. Alanna, however, used her wings to fly so her legs felt just fine. 

“Come on,” Alanna stepped onto the front porch of the cottage, “we’re here.”

With a grunt, Quackity dramatically lifts his legs and stomps on the steps, earning a glare from the older woman. The two stood before the front door, and Quackity let out a sigh, raising his first to knock on the door. 

After a few minutes, the door crack opens, but only an inch. A few fingers peaked out and stayed against the dark oak wooden door.

“Are you here for the packages?”

Her voice was quiet, almost raspy. 

Quackity was taken by surprise, “What?- Oh, no, it’s me, Prin- I mean, King Quackity.” Alanna stifled a laugh, and Quackity gave her narrow eyes, glaring at her. It was laughable that Quackity still introduced himself as Prince Quackity, when he’s been the King for the last five years. But Quackity continued, “And I’m here with Alanna because . . . you’re my mother?”

The door creaks as it’s slammed open, and there stood Alyssa, her eyes were wide and her pupils danced. She looked down for a moment, but then composed herself. She fixes her stance, calming herself, “Please, come in,” she stood back a bit and the two entered the cottage.

“Dream told me,”

Quackity traced his fingers on his knuckles. 

“We went to see him and a few others at Heaven’s Cavern,” the King explained, “he admitted to lying about me being born out of wedlock and how my birth mother died in childbirth, but then he said my real mother lived in the castle and was banished from L’Manburg before, so I connected the dots and realized it was you.” 

Alyssa sat across from him on her sofa, holding a cup of tea in her hands. There were two seats that were facing diagonal towards the sofa. Alanna sat in one, while Quackity sat in the other. Quackity had set his cup down on the coffee table while Alanna, who didn’t like tea, drank water instead. 

“Right,” Alyssa said, gulping.

Alanna looked over to Alyssa, but before she could say something, Alyssa spoke again.

“When I became pregnant with you, I was in a marriage that I knew I could never raise a family in. He didn’t want kids, so I had to leave. I divorced him, and left L’Manburg. I moved to Pogtopia and gave birth to you months later, but King Dream - he took you away as he needed a new heir for his royal lineage as his son, Tommy, had become missing, when really, Queen Jorja took him to L’Manburg and gave him to an orphanage.”

“How old was Tommy?”

“He was five when he was adopted by Philza, but two when he was first left at the orphanage,” said Alyssa, “he was between seventeen and eighteen when he died.”

Quackity gulped, “So, I was only adopted to be his heir since he had lost his first son?”

Alyssa nodded slowly, “Unfortunately, but he grew to love you, but your real father,” she turned to look off, “I’m sure you know who it is now,”

“Yeah,” 

Alanna and Alyssa looked to the King, their faces read sadness and worry, feeling bad for the boy who had just learned of his true bloodline years after his adoptive parents had died.

He was the son of two Kings of two rival, opposing countries. Two kings who fought each other in the last war, where one King slashed the other King’s face with his sword, causing him to bleed from the large cut on his face.

King Dream and . . .

“King Techno.”

  
  


* * *

**song ;** _ rooftop dancing - sylvan esso _

_ 34 years ago _

The sun was bright, though the air wasn’t as hot and humid as you’d expect it to be. There were white clouds that scattered across the sky. It was a warm day, and there was barely any wind at all.

Prince Dream, or Clay, sat alone on the floor just between the fancy sofa and the matching coffee table in the parlor where the fireplace had no fire or warmth, meaning the room was almost cold. In his hands, he held figurines that he was playing with. Both of them had a sword and a shield, but they were unnamed. Dream never liked giving his toys names.

This was when the young Dream didn’t wear that horrid white mask, and still had horns on the sides of his head, like his mother had. He was part sheep, after all. He was a quiet kid, but he was becoming more like his father everyday, which worried his mother.

His father walked into the room, scoffing at the sight of his son playing with his figurines. “Why are you playing with those . . .  _ toys _ , son?” He sounded disgusted.

_ Toys?  _ “Because they’re fun, Father,” Dream replied to his father’s question with a rather enthusiastic tone. His father gave him a weird look as he set the fire in the fireplace, a warm yet contained fire started inside.

His father narrowed his eyes at the boy, “Right,” he cleared his throat, “though, you won’t be needing those toys anymore to have fun,”

Dream perked his head up, “Huh? What do you mean?”

“Well, my Leader of the Royal Guard will be moving into the castle soon, which means his son will also be moving in as well, and I was hoping the two of you could become friends, so you wouldn’t have to use such toys for fun anymore.” 

_ How come he’s so mean? _ “Oh, okay,” he sounded sad now. 

His father couldn’t care less, “Come with me, I’ll introduce you.” Could he not be more oblivious to his own son’s feelings? His expression was blunt with sadness and hurt. Then again, his father has always been like this. He doesn’t care about others’ feelings. At all.

Dream was hesitant, but he nodded and stood up from his spot on the floor, leaving his figurines on the coffee table. Dream walked out of the room, but his father stayed behind and grabbed the figurines, shook his head, and threw the figurines into the lit fireplace.

“Ah, Antfrost, I’m glad to see you’re settling in well.”

Such fake enthusiasm. Antfrost, however, didn’t realize that and he gave a grin to the King, Dream’s father, “Oh, Lord Dream- I’m doing just fine. My wife is out getting food from the market back in the village,” at this time, there was only one village instead of four, “my son is here though, would you like to meet him?” 

Dream hid behind his father shyly. He had never met Antfrost before, he looked a bit scary from his red eyes so he hid behind his father, Lord Dream.

Lord Dream chuckles, “I’m sure my son will like having a new friend,” 

Antfrost turned and stepped back, leaning into the other room as he held onto the walling around the door. “Hey, son! Come meet the King and his son,” he called out to his son, then he walked back to where he stood in front of Lord Dream. 

Soon, there were footsteps approaching from the other room, the floor wasn’t creaking at all. The boy must be small enough to where the floors wouldn’t even creak if they walked on it.

There stood the boy at the threshold, his hands behind his back. He was little and small, he seemed so quiet and shy. Lord Dream then took Dream’s hand and pulled him forward, “Go play, son,” he spoke lowly to his son, it scared Dream to the point he felt his spine shiver.

The boy and Dream headed into the other room as the two adults stayed in the living room, talking about whatever while the two boys sat in the small boy’s room. The boy, Antfrost, and Antfrost’s wife all lived now in an apartment-like area in the west wing of the castle (similar to where Alanna and Sapnap live today with the kids). Weirdly, the boy’s room wasn’t empty like the other rooms. There were fairy lights hanging on the walls, white curtains covering the window. Photos and drawings on paper were hanging on the walls, his bed was made and his belongings were all put away in drawers and bins. He had a very clean room, even though they had just moved into the castle.

Dream sat on his knees on the floor, looking through the bins, finding not many toys or figurines. It was mainly just clothes and books. A lot of books. Speaking of books, the small boy sat against his bed on the floor, his knees almost up to his chest as he held a book in his hands and read it, skimming the pages with his dark brown eyes.

He had almost jet black hair, pale skin. Deep, dark brown pools in his eyes. His hands were thin, his arms were a bit lanky. He was small, though it made Dream believe the boy was much younger than him. 

“Your dad’s a cat man?” 

The small boy’s head perks up from his book.

“Yeah,” the boy replied, “he’s half cat, half human. My mom’s fully human so that makes me only part cat.” 

Dream hummed, though he had a thought that the reason why he seemed distant and quiet was because he was part cat. Cats are usually distant, though some can be very clingy and always wanting attention, however this small, partly cat boy was shy.

“Do you have any cat traits?” Dream asked, trying to make conversation with the boy.

“Mhm,” the boy nodded, “I’m nearsighted, like my dad. I can see very well in the dark, too, but it sucks that I can’t see the same colors as everyone else.”

“Oh?” Dream tilted his head, “What do you mean by that?”

“I’m colorblind,” said the boy, continuing to stare down at his book, “meaning when you see one color, I see a completely different color.” He explained, and he flipped a page in his book.

Dream nodded, “That sounds bad,” and he pointed to his bright green shirt (as he was a kid, “What about this? Can you see this?”

Dream usually wore regular t-shirts and shorts instead of prince attire as his father didn’t make him wear the prince attire yet (his mother made a deal with Lord Dream). As for the boy, he wore a blue t-shirt and some pants. From what Dream has found while snooping through the boy’s things, the boy didn’t seem to like shorts that much. 

The boy looked up from his book and stared at Dream’s shirt.

“Yellow?”

Dream sighs, “Close, it’s actually just a bright green,” he chuckles, “you were close though,” but he quickly notices the boy’s lips curving downward into a frown. “Hey, don’t be sad,” the boy perked his head back up almost immediately, as if no one had even noticed his expressions before, “how about I help you? Like, I could help you learn your colors, even though you’re colorblind?” Dream suggested to the boy, and the boy stared at him for a moment.

It was quiet, the boy thinned his lips. Dream was starting to doubt it. Maybe he overstepped.

“Sure,” 

Dream looked up at him.

“We can do that, sounds cool.”

Dream smiled and reached his hand out, “I’m Clay,” just Clay, not Prince Clay.

The boy hesitates, but he reaches his own hand out as well, shaking Dream’s hand, his own lips curving into a smile now, too. This was the beginning of a new friendship, a new life between the two that they will share for the rest of their lives. Dream had a good feeling about this, and to his surprise, the boy felt the same way.

“I’m George.”

  
  


**end of chapter two.**


	3. Those Horns

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sapnap struggles to find the right time to propose to Alanna, while Quackity starts to worry when Karl goes off to L’Manburg alone. When he thought his worries couldn’t get worse, a woman comes to see him and Kara, only to threaten a war against them.

**song ;** _warm - drees ft. mia_

Morning was always Alanna’s favorite time of day, especially on days she could sleep in and spend the entire day with her family. The white curtains had turned orange from the sun rising in the far distance, from behind the hills and mountains so far away from the castle. The sun was beginning to shine through the curtains and windows, bringing light into the room now.

Sapnap rubbed his eyes as he woke up, yawning as he gently stretched out his arms. Mala slept in just the next room in her crib, though soon they would have to build a toddler bed for her as she would be turning three that next month in July. Alanna was still sound asleep on the bed next to Sapnap, she was bundled up in her blanket, facing away from her lover.

“Aw,” he whispered, then leaned over and pecked her temple before he slid over and got out of bed. He put on his slippers, pulled up his pajama pants a bit and headed downstairs, though he was shirtless - but it’s not like anyone in the castle hadn’t seen it already. He walks into the kitchen, seeing the maids and butlers there chatting.

“Oh, Sir Sapnap,” one of the maids said, “do you need anything?”

Sapnap shook his head, “No, I was just going to make breakfast for Alanna,” he answered the maid, and she gave him a bow before turning back and talking with the others. Sapnap didn’t like the maids and butlers doing stuff for him, and neither did Alanna. They liked doing things themselves, and they didn’t want to overwork them more than they already are.

About twenty minutes pass by, Sapnap sets the ring box on the tray after he sets the plates of breakfast neatly on the said tray. He grabs it by the handles on the left and right sides of it and heads upstairs to their corridor of rooms in the west wing.

He opened the bedroom door with a smile, “Hey babe, I got you-”

There stood Alanna, already dressed and fixed up in her general attire. She put her last boot on and turned to Sapnap standing at the door. “Oh, hi! I was wondering where you went!”

“Y-Yeah,” Sapnap gulped, “what’re you d-doing?”

“Quackity is helping Alyssa move back here in the Kingdom today so I figured I’d help, too.” Alanna answered, and she grabbed her sword, sliding into the sword holder on her back, then grabbed a bagel off the tray, “Thank you, baby,” she kisses him on the cheek before walking out of the room, taking a bite of her bagel, leaving her boyfriend alone in their shared bedroom as he stood there, holding the breakfast tray that held a little ring box that had the ring he was going to propose to her with.

Sapnap shakes his head.

“Dammit.”

* * *

**song ;** _easy - troye sivan_

It was a bit later in the morning, Karl had just finished getting ready to go on voyage to L’Manburg where he will work with King Techno and General Ranboo to work on blueprinting new houses and buildings in their new villages soon to be built.

“Stop worrying so damn much ‘bout me,” Karl said to the older male as he fixed up his attire which included brown pants (that weren’t very loose, but it wasn’t tight), a long sleeve gray shirt, boots and a brown belt that had his knife holder built into it. 

Quackity fixed the man’s shirt a bit, “Will you shut your mouth? I’m allowed to worry about my right hand man,” he told him, but Karl just rolled his eyes.

“I’ll be back at the end of the week,”

The King gave him a glare.

“What? I’ll only be gone for about five days,” said Karl, furrowing his eyebrows at him. Karl never liked it when others would worry about him, especially when there was nothing logical to worry about. Knowing Karl, he’s very adventurous and likes to get rough, taking more risks everyday. He’s a risk-taker, a type to love the thrill and excitement. Quackity never understood that part of Karl, how he could be so care-free. Then again, Karl wasn’t the King of Pogtopia.

“Still,” said Quackity, “I want you to be safe. You know of the attacks recently.”

“Yeah, yeah, I know,” Karl huffed, “now I gotta get goin’, Quackity,” he turns and climbs onto his horse. 

Quackity always worried about Karl, always. Ever since they first met when Karl and him were so much younger, but that worry grew more after that day four years ago. When Quackity made that almost terrifying promise to Karl that if he ended up like his father, he’d . . . Nevermind that. Quackity twisted his foot a bit on the grass beneath him, feeling nervous. He wasn’t fond of Karl traveling alone, but he knew Karl was stubborn so he’d end up going alone anyways.

Karl grabs onto the rope of the horse’s halter, and he looks down at Quackity.

“I’ll be back soon, okay?”

Quackity nodded, and Karl grinned. He hitched the rope, yelling ‘yah’ before the horse began to walk, then run. He watched as Karl left the castle’s borders through the large entrance, and even though he had trust that Karl could protect himself, Quackity still had a bad gut feeling.

Those attacks were becoming more frequent, but there was still no clue to who was attacking all these people. Only some of the victims had died, but most were still badly injured. Quackity had this awful gut feeling that was twisting and turning his stomach.

He had a feeling Karl would become the next target.

* * *

**song ;** _blondie - current joys_

_33 years ago_

Young Dream sat down on the bench in the castle’s garden, swinging his legs back and forth. His blonde hair hung before his eyes like bangs. His hands sat on his lap, waiting for the other boy to arrive. The boy was at church back in the village, so now he was on the way back, knowing to meet up with Dream in the garden afterwards. Dream waited patiently, admiring his surroundings. The flowers were growing higher, more colorful each day. The bushes were already trimmed, and the grass was cut short. 

Dream had grown to care for the smaller boy a lot since they first met a year ago. The boy was nice, though sometimes witty and sarcastic, but still humorous and caring. Dream knew he had a hard time expressing his feelings to others, so Dream made sure to read his expressions well, to know what he’s thinking without the boy having to say it. 

“Clay!”

The Prince looked up and with a smile, he waved to the boy. “George!” 

The boy approached the prince with a grin, sitting down on the bench next to him. “Okay, so church was boring, like always. Though, we did get to go outside and play for a bit,”

“And I’m guessing you sat there and read on the bench,” Dream added to George’s statement. George just clicked his tongue.

“Don’t interrupt me, but yes, that is true.” George cleared his throat, “Anyways, I read about three chapters and I’m now just two chapters away from finishing the book.”

Dream’s jaw became agape, “Oh wow! That’s great, George.”

George nodded in reply, “Does your dad have any more books I could borrow?” Dream’s grin fell once he heard the mentioning of his awful father, “I’m almost done with this book and I need another one to start with after I finish this one,” 

“Yeah, I’m pretty sure he does,” the Prince replied, “but-”

“Could we go pick them out now?” George was excited, happy. Dream couldn’t say no.

“Sure,” even if he really didn’t want to.

“Hey, Dad,”

Lord Dream looked up from his desk, holding an inked quill in his hand. “Oh, Clay. What are you- and George- doing here?” He smiled big at George, trying to make the boy feel safe, even if Dream didn’t feel the same. 

“George wanted to borrow a couple more books,” Dream told his father with a low voice.

“Is that right? - You finished those books already? I thought I just gave you three!” Lord Dream says with a laugh, faking his astonished expression from how George could read so fast and so often, and still want to keep reading so much.

The boy nodded, “Yes, sir.”

Dream looked over to George, but kept his mouth shut.

“Well, my library is just down the hall so help yourself,” Lord Dream said, and George smiled at him happily. Dream and George turn to leave the room, but Lord Dream clears his throat, “Clay, may I speak with you for a moment?”

Dream stops, and looks at his father. George stops, but looks at Dream. The Prince nods, and looks at George, “Go ahead to the library.” He told the smaller boy quietly, “I’ll be there in a bit.” 

George nodded, and he headed out of the room, down the hallway and into the large library that belonged to Lord Dream, and of course, the rest of the royal family. 

Dream turned to his father, “What do you need?” 

It had only been more than a year since Dream began to see the true evil of his father. Once, he even found it baffling to find how his father used to have horns as well. But he cut them off right before he was crowned King as he wanted to look more friendly and kind, rather than scary with those large horns that he used to have. Cut them off, had them removed just so he could look friendly and gain trust of his Kingdom, to easily manipulate them. He hated his father now, there was no love for him left. 

Dream was only eight years old now, and yet he found his father to be a terrible person. He couldn’t do anything about it, he was too young. He couldn’t talk to his mother, she was pregnant with his soon to be little sister, and his brother - he was turning two this year, after Dream would turn nine. 

“You seem distant,” Lord Dream’s smile was gone now, he looked at his son with pure blandness. His face was rested, except his eyebrows that were furrowed. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” Dream was quick to reply, “Can I go now?”

Lord Dream looked off somewhere in the room.

“Sure, whatever.” and Dream left the room.

“Have you found anything?”

“Only one,” George replied, and Dream hummed, “I can’t find another one that actually seems interesting enough to read.” He explained to the taller boy.

Dream looked around the library, “Well, what do you usually like?”

George thought for a moment, tapping his chin with his index finger, “I like mystery, especially murder mysteries with lots of plot twists.” He answered Dream.

Dream continued to look, not finding anything yet. The library was such a huge room. It was wide and tall, so many bookcases that were full of books. There were so many books to choose from, and George was yet to find another to read that was interesting enough to him.

The Prince took one book off the bookcase and walked over to George, “What about this one?” Dream asked, reaching the book out to George for him to take and look at.

George took the book into his own hand, flipping it over to look at the cover and the back, then turned the pages inside, skimming down, flipping through so he could get a good idea of whether it was interesting enough to read. 

“It’s one of my mom’s favorites,” Dream whispered, even though there was no one in the room but them, “it’s a murder mystery novel about a royal murder,” ironic, isn't it? “I think you’d like it, George.”

George looked up once Dream said his name, and with slightly wide eyes, George blinked at him a couple times. He looked back at the book once, and held it with his other hand, that held the first book he chose, “Thank you, I think I’ll like it, too.” He was suddenly so quiet.

Dream gave him a smile, “Enjoy it, my mom thinks it’s amazing,” 

George nodded, “Yeah,” _and i think you’re amazing, too._

* * *

**song ;** _cryptid - lucas lex_

Quackity sat on his throne, pinching the bridge between his eyes as he groaned. He was tired after an entire day worth of doing royal tasks, going to the villages five times a day, going everywhere in the castle. He was exhausted, but he was now waiting for his last task to arrive, which was someone who had requested to meet with him that day.

Kara sat in her throne, Karl was still off in L’Manburg, and Camille was with Sapnap and Mala at one of the farms in the fields. 

“You should’ve saved some of those tasks till tomorrow,” said Kara to her fiance, “You knew you were going to be exhausted at the end of it all.”

“Oh, quit lecturing me,” Quackity grunted, looking at her, “I just wanted to have a day off to spend with you, honey.”

“No, you just wanted to have a day off to spend with your buddies at the bar,”

“Couldn’t it be for both?” 

Kara rolled her eyes. “Hush now,”

The entrance doors open simultaneously, the guards on each side of the room turned to look at who was entering the room, only to see a woman with very large, white, curly fur, and horns (that seem to be mostly hidden from the fur). She looked older, much older, and she had wrinkles, and some of her fur had a grayness. But her fur- it was of a sheep.

She was half human, half sheep.

“Hello, Your Majesty,” The woman bowed to the King and future Queen, “I am here to speak with you about the deceased former King Dream.”

Quackity raised his eyebrow, “My father? Why do you want to speak about him?” He was a bit taken back by this, and Kara slowly turned to Quackity with a shocked expression. 

“No, not your father,” she spoke, “Your grandfather.”

Quackity had never met his grandfather, he had no memory of him - except once, he saw his portrait. But his father took down all portraits of him by the time Quackity was actually able to realize and remember who it was. He only remembered dark eyes and two scars on the sides of his head, right above his ears. 

“Lord Dream?” Quackity mumbled, but then he creased his eyebrows and spoke louder, “Why? Why would you come here just to speak about him?” 

The woman leaned her weight onto her left leg, her eyes looking right into Quackity’s.

“I know this may be of unimportance to you, that it wouldn’t change much of anything,” the woman said, “but I’m a single mother to three children, and I would like to inform you that one of them is your father, Clay,” she began to explain, Quackity felt his eyes widening, and Kara covered her mouth, “meaning I am your grandmother, the former Lordess Puffy.”

Puffy. It was really Quackity’s grandmother. Her horns were similar to Dream’s. All he knew of her was that she had divorced Lord Dream and was banished because of it when her youngest child, her only daughter, was about five. But, the names of her other son and her daughter were unknown, forgotten by everyone.

“Oh my god,” Kara muttered.

Quackity then furrowed his eyebrows. “You said three children, so my father had siblings?”

Puffy nodded her head, “Yes, a younger brother and a younger sister.” 

Suddenly, that got Quackity to smile.

“Can I meet them? Do you know where they are?” He was so excited to meet his apparent family members, but Puffy’s face didn’t change. Her lips were thin, that didn’t mean anything good. 

“I’m sorry, they died in the war, like your father did.” 

Quackity’s face dropped slowly, but Kara raised an eyebrow as she realized something.

“Would we have already known who they were?” Kara asks, “Did we know them?”

Puffy nods, “I’m sure you at least knew one of them, Your Highness,” she replied, “my son was married to your sister, I’m pretty sure.”

Quackity stood up from his seat as Kara gasped, covering her mouth with both hands. “No way . . .” Kara whispered.

“My father’s brother and sister,” Quackity said with a voice full of panic and shock, “are you saying what I think you’re saying?” and Puffy looked away.

“As much as I do want to stay and talk about this, I must get going, so I’ll say this,” Puffy said, and then she began to glare at King Quackity with a dark smirk, “my reign as Queen was taken from me too early, so beware, young Alex,” his real name, “because I’m going to take back the throne very soon, even if it means I have to start a war to achieve it.”

Puffy turned away and left without another word said. Quackity stood there, almost hyperventilating. Kara was shocked, frozen as she sat there on her throne.

His own grandmother was coming to fight for the throne, just after revealing such a forbidden secret.

“Quackity?” Kara asked, standing up from her throne. She stands in front of him, shaking him a bit. “Babe? Calm down, okay? We’ll figure this out-”

The entrance doors open, and there enters Alanna and Sapnap with Camille and Mala behind them. “Hey, who was that lady who just walked out of here- and what’s up with the freaked out faces?” Alanna was confused, staring at the royal couple.

Quackity turned to her with a pale face.

“She’s my grandmother, the mother of King Dream,” he answered her questioning, “she just threatened to start a war so she could take the throne away from me,” 

“Oh, wow,” Alanna was taken by surprise, and Sapnap’s eyes were wide, Camille stood in between them while Mala slept in Sapnap’s arms. “Anything else?”

Quackity hitched his breath.

“And that also,” the King felt a chill go down his back, “Dream is the biological brother,” his eyes stared right into Alanna’s, “of Schlatt and Erin.”

  
  


**end of chapter three.**


End file.
